Axle for grain-drills.



No. 807,576. PATENTED DBO. 19, 1905. F. R. PACKHAM & G. P. GATES. AXLE FORGRAIN DRILLS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N0. 807,576. PATENTBD DEC. 19, 1905. F. R. PACKHAM n G. P. DATES.

AXLE POR GRAIN DRILLS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.6,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

31 Mentor/G M g@ TUNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

FRANK R. PACKHAM AND GEORGE P. OATES, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO,

ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN SEEDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF JER- SEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AXLE FOR GRAIN-DRILLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed November 6, 1905. Serial No. 285,956.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK R. PAGKHAM and GEORGE P. OATEs, citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axles for Grain-Drills, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates tograin-drills, and particularly to the arrangement of the carrying-wheels and axle therefor. It is desirable in such machines to give pitch to the wheelsthat is, to arrange them flaring, separated by less distance at the bottom than at the topin order to obviate the tendency of the wheels to spring inward against the grain-box under stress of heavy loads. It is also desirable to cause the wheels to gather-. e., approach slightly nearer together at their forward edges than at the rear edges-which tends to lighten the diaft.

To provide a cheap simple. form of axle embodying the above features, the principal parts of which shall be interchangeable for different widths of machines, is the object of the present invention. Inasmuch as the grain-feeding devices are driven from the axle of the carrying-wheels, it is desirable that the angularly-arranged portions of the axle be rotated in unison.

Vith the above primary and other incidental objects in view the invention consists of the construction, parts, combination thereof, or their equivalents hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view of a portion of a grain-drill, showing the inclined axle, the hub of the carrying-wheel, the grainbox, and seed-feeding devices and their actuating mechanism. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the bed-beam and the method of connecting the inclined portion of the axle to form the continuous or arched axle hereinafter described. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the universalconnection between the inclined portions and the intermediate portions of the axle; and Fig. 5'is an end view, somewhat diagrammatic, showing the direction of inclination of the axle from the'vertical and horizontal.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. l, t represents the grainloox; a', the bed-rail of the supporting-frame; a2, the side rail. fc3 are seed-feeding devices.

is the actuating-shaft common to all said seed-feeding devices. a5 is a beveled gear on said shaft al, driven by a pinion cr on the counter-shaft a7, as hereinafter described. Jour-g naled in the boxing b and pendent hanger b', secured on the frame of the machine, is an inclined shaft b2, which is secured by the usual ratchet mechanism with the hub 3 of the carrying-wheel in suoli manner that it will rotate with said wheel.

It is to be understood that the shafts b2, inclined in opposite directions from or near the center, are located at opposite sides of the machine, as shown in Eig. 2. The direction of inclination of the shaft b2 is downward and to a less degree forward, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which the vertical and horizontal are indicated by the dot-and-dash lines, while the arrow indicates the direction of inclination.

Mounted on the inclined shaft b2 is a geardisk b4, meshing with the adjustable pinion b5 on the counter-shaft a7. The counter-shaft a7 is supported at right angles to the shaft b2 in suitable bearings inthe bearing-box b and a hanger b, secured to the grain-box. To the inner ends of the respective inclined shafts b2 are secured, by set-screws c, couplings c, having in an extension c2 a rectangular flaring opening c3. rlhe side walls of said opening are formed convex in a longitudinal direction, as shown in Fig. 4. This coupling forms a universal joint between the inclined shafts b2 and an intermediate square shaft ci.

In adapting the construction to machines of different widths the same inclined shafts b2 and accessories are used in machines of all sizes, the difference in width being compensated for by a longer or shorter intermediate square shaft of. When used with machines of extreme width, it is desirable to provide a gear-disk b4, counter-shaft a7, and pinions b5 a5 a in connection with each of the inclined shafts b2 at opposite sides of the machine.

It will be seen that there is thus provided a continuous revoluble arched axle which will be cheap and eiicient, giving to the carryingwheels both pitch and gather, and which is easily adapted to machines of various widths.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1`. In a grain-drill, the combination, with IOO a supporting-frame, seedbox and carryingwheels, of independent revoluble axles for said carrying-wheels inclined forwardly and downwardly, an intermediate shaft between said revoluble axles, and universal connections between said intermediate shaft and each of said revoluble axles, substantially as speciied.

2. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a supporting-frame, seedbox and carryingwheels, of seed-feeding devices, a common Shaft for said seed-feeding devices, independentaxles for Said carrying-wheels inclined forwardly and downwardly, a gear-disk carried on one of said inclined axles, a counter-shaft 'arranged at right angles to said inclined shaft,

a pinion on said counter-shaft engaging said gear-disk, and driving connections between said counter-shaft and the common shaft of said seed-feeding devices, substantially as specified.

3. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a supporting-frame, seedbox, seed-feeding devices and carrying-Wheels, of an arched revoluble axle comprising an intermediatehorizontal portion, and portions inclined downwardly and forwardly, and universal couplings between said intermediate portions and end portions, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 26th day of October, A. D. 1905. 30

FRANK R. PAGKHAM. GEORGE I. GATES.

Witnesses:

THAYER K. MoRRow, CHAs. I. WELCH. 

